While the Association of American Railroads standard E coupler was adopted in 1932, and has provided dependable service over the years, it was recently noted that at times during a coupling operation between cars, the coupler lock would not drop to full locking relation with the knuckle as the latter was closed. In such a case, a hang-up of the lock occurred after it had dropped only a short distance and was held in an elevated position by the engagement between lock lifter toggle and the associated anti-creep lug in the coupler head and between the lock leg and the front wall of the lock receiving chamber in the coupler head. In this position of the lock, the lock anti-creep mechanism is inoperative and the lock is only in partial locking relation with the knuckle. This is a potentially dangerous condition of the coupler in that as coupled railway vehicles travel in service the lock may creep upwards to unlocking relation with the knuckle and result in opening of the knuckle and separation of the vehicles.
Applicant has provided a novel lock lifter toggle which avoids the aforementioned hang-up of the lock during a coupling operation. Moreover, the benefit of this improved toggle is obtained for an existing coupler merely by replacing the existing toggle with the new toggle.